Mail-catcher.



-L-. E. McHUGH.

MAIL CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1914.

1,150,281 Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

4 i| T|I| I] ll L. E. McHUGH.

MAIL CATCHER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. 1914 1,150,281. Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM 60.. WASHINGTON, D.c.

' 5. l J r l LAWRENCE E. maven, or minors, sem yivim.

rcn.

p .MAIL-cA'roHEit.

interest T ZZ whom itmag concern:

V Be it known thatI, LAWRENCE MoHnGH, I

a citizen 'of tl1e; United States, residing at Dubois, in the county of Glearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Catchers, of whichthe followingi-s a specific'ation. V

Thisinvention relates to a mail; catcher, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a-mail catcher which'is so con structed that a sackmay be taken from a mail carand the catching arm swung to. one side so that it will extend longitudinally of the track thus holding the mail sack out of the way; and to also provide an improved standard and support for the standard so;

that the standard may move pivotally against the tension of springs forming bumpers so that the standard may give when the sack is caught, and thus the-arm and standard preventedfrom being bent or broken. it v I Another object of the invention is to so construct the supporting stand or frame that the bumper casing will be securely held in place, andthe. standard slidably connect ed with the frame with its piston extending into the casings to engage the springs which constitute the bumpers.

Another objector" the invention is to so construct the-mail catcher that the principal portions of the same may be formed from tubes or piping, thus permitting the mail catcher to be very cheaply manufactured and easily put together V This invention is illustrated in the accon1- panyings drawings wherein V Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the mail catcher about to engage a sack extended from the car; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mail catcher with the sack-engaging arm'swung to one side; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mail catcher with the sack-engaging arm in the position shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the sleeve which is mounted upon the standard and slidably connected with the frame; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the standard and bumper arrangement; Fig. 6,

is a fragmentar view of the sack-holding device carried by the car.

The mail sack 10 is releasably connected with the clips 11 carried at the outer ends of the arms 12. These arms 12 are provided at their inner ends with collars 13 which are 3 Specification of Letters fatentl Pgttnigd Aug. 1'7 1915. Application filed March 28, 1914'. Serial 11018275972.

mounted upon the sleeve' l't- This sleeve 1% motion of the sleeve l l will be limited and thus the-inward and outward movement of .the arms 12 controlled.

. The standard18 has its lower end pivot ally connected with the pivot bracket 19" carried by the base 20; This base may be formed of any suitable material, but is pref erably formed of ;cement or the like substancewith the pivot bracket 19 either embedded therein or 'securedto the same by any suitable means. The frame 21 is supported by the legs 22 which have their lower ends embedded in the base 20. This frame and supporting legs are formed of pipe which are connected bycouplings'of the usual construction so that a rectangular frame shown clearlyin Fig. 3 is provided with a support above the base as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A collar 23 is carried by the standard 18 and is provided with arms 24: which are slidably mounted upon the side bars of the frame 21. Pistons 25 are pivotally connected with the pivot-ears 26 of the collar 23 and are provided attheir ends with beads 27 slidably mounted in the cylinders or casings 28. These casings 28 are supported by bands 29 carried by the frame 21 and con tain springs 30 which engage the heads 27 of the pistons 25 so that the standard will be normally held in the upright position shown in the drawings. These springs permit the standard to move longitudinally of theframe with a swinging movement so that the force of a blow received when catching a mail sack may be taken up by the springs and thus the standard prevented from being bentor broken.

The swinging arm 31 of the sack-engaging element is rotatably connected withthe upper end portion of the standard by means of the sleeves 32 and rests upon the bar 33 formed upon the standard 18. Arms 34 extend from the sleeves 32 and support the clamps 35 which are intended to engage the swinging arm 31. Upon this arm 31 there is rotated a sleeve 36 which carries the sackengaging jaws 37 yieldably held in a closed position by the springs 38. Triggers 39 are carried by the jaws 37 and are adapted to releasably hold the jaws in an open position so-that a mail sack may pass between the jaws and engage the triggers to release'the jaws and permit the springs 38 to close the same and grip the mail bag. In order to hold the sleeve 36 in a desired position upon the swinging arm 31, there has been provided set screws 40. "lhe operation of this device is as follows: The mail bag is suspended from the arm 12 .by means of the catches 11 and the sack-engaging arm of the track deviceis swung out to the-position shown in Fig. 1. Before this arm is swung out to the, position shown in Fig.1, the sleeve 36 is adjusted sothat the jaws will extend in the direction from which the train is approaching. When the train passes the station, the sack will pass between the jaws and release thetriggers 39 so that the jaws willclose upon the sack andrelease the same from the catchesll. The force of the blow received when the sack strikes the catching arm will swing the arms around in engagement with one of the clamps 35, and the'arm will thusbe'held-in the'position shown in Fig. 2 with the arm'extending venting the swinging arm and standard longitudinally of the track. The force of this blow will put the standard 18 in motion and cause it to rock upon its pivot bracket 19, thus successively compressing the springs 30 mounted in the casings or cylinders 28. Thisswinging motion will greatly decrease until the springs return the standard to the vertical position. It will thus be seen that the swinging arm and standard will not receive the full force of the blow given by the mail bag, butthat the forceof this blow will be taken up by the spring 30, thus prefrom being bent or broken. If the train is approaching from the opposite direction, it is simply necessary to release the set screws 40, turn the sleeve 36 upon the swinging arm 31, and then tighten the set screws again so that the jaws will extend in the direction from which the train is approaching. It will thus be seen that the same track device may be used for catching sacks from trains moving in two difierent directions.

I claim 1. A mail catcher comprising a frame, a pivotally-mounted standard, supporting means for said standard slidably connected with said frame, cylinders carried by said frame, pistons connected with said supporting means and extending into said cylinders, resilient means in said cylinders engaging said pistons to yieldably hold saidstandard in a vertical position, and catchingmeans carriedloysaid standard.

2. A mail catcher comprising a frame, a

pivotally-mounted standard, means slidably said cylinders, resilient means insaid cylin-' ders engaging said pistonsto yieldably hold said standard in a vertical position, and

catching means carried by said standard. A. mail catcher comprising a frame, a"

movably mounted standard, a collar slidably mounted upon said standard? and slidably connecting said standard with saidframe, cylinders carried by said frame, PlStOIlSBX- resilient means in said cylinders engaging tending from said collar-into said cylinders,

said pistons to yieldably hold said standard in a vertical position, and catching means carried by said'standard. L

5. 1k mail catcher comprising a frame, supporting means for said frame, a'movably-mounted standard, a collar carried by said standard and slidably connected with said frame, cylinders carriedby said frame,

pistons extending from said collar into said cylinders, resilient means in said cylinders engaging said pistons to yieldably hold said I standard in avertical position, and catching means earned by sa d standard,

In test1mony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of twowitnesses. V

LAWRENCE Witnesses:' i

J. H. MOORE, F. M. Snarrnn.

flopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

r i 'washing'ton, D. G. l

n. Mel-HIGH. Y 

